In order to increase the available interior space of recreational vehicles or trailers, slide-out rooms or sections can be made integral with the structure of the vehicle or trailer. During transit, these rooms can be retracted and stored in the interior of the vehicle or trailer, with the exterior wall of the slide-out room approximately flush with the exterior of the vehicle or trailer. To use the slide-out room, the vehicle is first parked and leveled. Using an operating mechanism located beneath the body of the vehicle, the slide-out room is then slid outward from the vehicle, increasing the interior space of the vehicle.
The present invention relates to an improvement of the slide-out operating mechanism disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,758,918 entitled "Vehicle Room Slide-Out Operating Mechanism" which issued Jun. 2, 1998, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. In that application, the operating mechanism includes a pair of substantially parallel, generally rectangular outer rail members secured to the vehicle body. A pair of substantially parallel, generally rectangular inner rail members provided for supporting a slide-out section thereon are slidably mounted for longitudinal movement within the outer rail members. An upper roller arrangement is rotatably mounted at the inner end of each inner rail member and is engageable with the outer rail member. A lower roller arrangement is rotatably mounted on the vehicle body outside each of the outer rail members and is engageable with one of the inner rail members. Each of the inner rail members has a gear rack depending from the bottom thereof and extending longitudinally thereon. A drive arrangement is mounted to the vehicle body and includes a gear arrangement engageable with each of the gear racks. The drive arrangement includes a common drive shaft interconnecting each of the gear arrangements such that actuation of the drive arrangement, such as by an integral motor-brake, will cause rotation of the gear arrangement and movement of the gear racks to move the inner rail members into and out of the outer rail members. An override system is slidably mounted on the drive shaft for rotating the gear arrangement and drive shaft should the drive arrangement become inoperable.
While the above-described operating mechanism is satisfactory in many slide-out environments, there are expandable trailers and recreational vehicles which are provided with miscellaneous compartments such as for storing luggage or water beneath the vehicle chassis. In arrangements such as these, it is desirable to employ an elevated slide-out operating mechanism which will provide sufficient head room below the vehicle so as to more conveniently access the undercarriage compartments, and create a better pathway to the drive arrangement and override system.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an operating mechanism for a slide-out section of a trailer or recreational vehicle which comprises a more compact arrangement of nested inner and outer rail members and a raised gear rack. Another object of the invention is to provide an operating mechanism which creates a relatively unobstructed storage space rearwardly of the drive shaft and between the outer rail members. Yet another object of the invention is to provide an operating mechanism having a meshing rotatable gear arrangement engageable with the gear rack and supported on a series of parallel stub shafts at a heightened position. A further object of the invention is to provide an operating mechanism having a reduced weight which is reflected in improved fuel economy of the carrier vehicle and lessened energy required to extend and retract the slide-out section. Still another object of the invention is to provide an operating mechanism having improved roller arrangements which will ensure a low friction sliding operation without binding or misalignment problems. Yet another object of the invention is to provide an operating mechanism having an improved drive arrangement which will enable smooth, uniform and responsive movement as well as positive locking of the slide-out section.